Still Loving Lula

I don’t know how many times I’ve been asked about my top 5 in Chicago for enjoyable eating, but I do know I usually include a recommendation to folks to go eat at Lula Cafe. It’s always been my reliable go-to for lunch or brunch on a Monday, when most places are closed, and I rarely get to return for dinner. But I had a colleague visiting from Berlin on Wednesday night, and one plate after another we kept remarking on how fresh, how vibrant and how absolutely delicious everything was.

We especially loved the vegetarian dish of the night: a savory corn flan, as gentle and soft as a show on the OWN Network, showered with bits of late summer corn, candied sage and melted onions; topped with some crunchy yellow beans and a fluffy quenelle of fromage blanc (the menu said chèvre, but who cares). We were going to pass on dessert, but when I heard our server describe “seasonal stone fruits, plum sorbet, peach ice cream and toasted pumpernickel,” we were like, thank you sir, may I have another.

One note: owner Jason Hammel told me their new pastry chef just started this week, so desserts currently on the menu are still from Kate Neumann, but in terms of the savory side of the menu, you heard it here first: Sarah Rinkavage is a name to watch.

Lula Cafe

2637 N. Kedzie Ave.

773-489-9554